Brussels, 20/10/2000 (Agence Europe) - Through a large majority and nevertheless amending some aspects, the European Parliament's Committee on Industry and External Trade approved the European Commission's proposal for a regulation on the unbundling of local loops. The "local loop" is a copper cable that links the end-user of a telecommunications network. "Unbundling", that the regulation would impose on traditional operators, consists in enabling competitors to accede to the network and, whence, penetrate the market.
The text tabled by the rapporteur, Liberal MEP Nicholas Craig, takes on board both all the recommendations already accepted by the Council on 3 October (strengthening the powers of intervention of national authorities, conformation of the 31 December 2000 deadline for its entry into force) and a series of other amendments that take on board issues left aside by the Council. They highlight the fact that refusal to unbundled access could impede, restrain or distort competition in the sector. They place emphasis on the need to provide compensation for beneficiaries if the "notified operators" do not respect the deadline for an answer, so as to avoid repeated delays by the former monopolies. Parliament will vote at next week's session. To take effect on 31 December 2000, the regulation will have to be adopted in a single reading.